Mizoram used barely 10 per cent of DoNER funds

New Delhi: Slow implementation of projects and not fund crunch seems to be the reason for lack of infrastructure development in the northeastern state of Mizoram, statistics given by the Centre indicate.

Minister for Development of the North Eastern Region (DoNER) Paban Singh Ghatowar today presented figures in the Rajya Sabha according to which the state could only utilise Rs 1,684 crore in the last three years out of Rs 11,304 crore released by the DoNER Ministry.

Replying to a question, Ghatowar said his Ministry had released a total of Rs 3,191 crore for nine projects in the education sector to the state under the Non-Lapsable Central Pool of Resources (NLCPR) scheme in the last three years out of only Rs 60 crore has been utilised.

In the health sector, the Ministry released Rs 220 crore for two projects in the last three years but the state has not been able to utilise the funds, as per figures presented by the Ghatowar in the Rajya Sabha.

Similarly an allocation of Rs 2,434 crore was made to the state under the NLCPR scheme for miscellaneous projects but only Rs 466 crore has been utilised.

The Ministry had given a total of Rs 513 crore to Mizoram in 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12 but the state has not been able to utilise the funds.

According to the statistics, the state received a total allocation of Rs 3,393 crore in the same period out of which only Rs 759 crore has been utilised.

The DoNER ministry provides central assistance for developmental projects in the northeastern region under NLCPR scheme. The North Eastern Council also sanctions projects for the region.